It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists
Chapter 525: Mu Zhian, the Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation! p2

Cloud Province.

A crescent moon hung high in the night sky. A cold pool at the foot of the mountain reflected the starlight, the occasional chirping of cicadas adding to the tranquility.

A beautiful woman with a light veil covering her face sat by the cold pool, her eyes closed, seemingly dozing. Just then, a young girl’s crisp and pleasant voice came from behind her, “Your Highness, His Majesty the Great Peng Emperor requests your presence in the main hall, it seems he has something to discuss.”

The speaker was a young girl, looking no older than thirteen or fourteen, her face pretty, her bright and beautiful eyes curiously staring at the beauty by the cold pool.

The young girl was a child the Princess found in Cloud Province by chance and had been cultivating and studying in a Cloud Province academy.

With the recent changes in the Forbidden Land’s rules, those in charge of the academy were extremely busy, researching the cause of the changes, worried that Cloud Province would be completely covered by the Forbidden Land of Life’s rules.

Because of this, the academy students could only cultivate on their own.

Therefore, the young girl took this opportunity to return to the imperial palace.

“Ignore the Great Peng Emperor’s matters for now. He’s looking for me probably because he’s unhappy about me competing with him for power these past few days and wants to test my intentions,” the Princess chuckled sarcastically, stood up, casually removed the jacket from her shoulders, and gracefully stepped into the pool.

The cool water relaxed her body and mind. The beautiful married woman casually removed her veil and tied her long hair up in a bun, the loose strands framing her face, adding to her charm.

Seeing the young girl’s silence, the Princess couldn’t help but chuckle softly and said gently, “The Great Peng Emperor will probably be wondering when Luo Tan will refine the Immortal Medicine for him in a few days. The power in Cloud Province isn’t that important to him, you don’t need to worry about a conflict between us.”

The young girl looked at the Princess’s graceful back and murmured enviously, “I feel like Your Highness is even more charming than before.”

This charm wasn’t about becoming more beautiful, but a change in temperament.

If the Princess in the past seemed somewhat ‘naive’, then the current her exuded a mature charm, enough to captivate any young man’s gaze.

The Princess looked at the crescent moon hanging high in the sky, cupping the cool water in her hands, the water flowing down her smooth skin.

She glanced seductively at the young girl standing not far away, about to speak.

Rumble…

Just then, she faintly heard a thunderclap.

The Princess seemed to sense something and subconsciously turned her head towards a certain direction in the Eastern Continent.

The young girl also looked over, but seeing nothing, she couldn’t help but ask, “What is Your Highness looking at?”

“The Soul Transformation Tribulation has begun…” the Princess murmured softly.

“Soul Transformation Tribulation? Someone is attempting Soul Transformation?”

The young girl walked to the edge of the pool, squatted down, hugging her knees, and said doubtfully, “But that has nothing to do with Your Highness, right? A Soul Transformation Realm cultivator, it’s not like we haven’t had those in Cloud Province before.”

The Princess hummed softly in agreement, “You’re right, it’s indeed nothing to be concerned about.”

But as she retracted her gaze, a hint of anticipation appeared in her heart.

Earlier, when Mu Zhian was at Nascent Soul Realm, the Spiritual Energy from his Innate Celestial Furnace was already incredibly alluring.

It was hard to imagine… what changes would occur after he reached Soul Transformation.

Perhaps by then, just the Spiritual Energy from his Innate Celestial Furnace alone could make her a mess…?

The woman recalled the events of that night in Luo Tan’s bedchamber, a seductive smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. She murmured inwardly, “I can’t wait to have a taste~”

The Princess lightly licked her moist, full lips.

That day, people throughout the Nine Provinces were secretly watching the Forbidden Zone. Bai Ruoxi, far away in the Sword Palace, also stared at the Forbidden Zone, subconsciously gripping her skirt.

She hadn’t been this nervous even during her own Transcendence Tribulation. It felt like a straight-A student watching her child take the college entrance exam.

There was quite a commotion in the outside world, and the Forbidden Zone was naturally even more lively.

Even in the Forbidden Zone, it had been a long time since a Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation occurred, let alone the person undergoing the tribulation being the young lady’s man!

Countless Forbidden Zone clan members gathered on a mountain peak, pointing in a certain direction and whispering amongst themselves.

Although they hadn’t reached Soul Transformation yet, they knew that the difficulty of the Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation was determined by the cultivator’s talent and race.

Usually, the human tribulation would be relatively easier, while the Southern Wilderness Heretic Gods and the Northern Continent demon cultivators’ tribulations were terrifyingly difficult, which was one of the reasons why there were so few Soul Transformation cultivators in the Southern Wilderness and the Demon Realm.

Of course, there were exceptions. For example, it was rumored that the current Forbidden Zone Lord experienced nine levels of the Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation, including the Heart Demon Tribulation, causing a sensation throughout the Nine Provinces.

Besides that, it was also rumored that the Jade Empress also experienced nine levels of tribulation when she reached Soul Transformation. If it weren’t for the World-Purifying Green Lotus protecting her, she would probably have been annihilated.

In short, the tribulations those great powers experienced were almost always nine levels.

And the weakest Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation had six levels, each lightning strike equivalent to an attack from a Dao Integration Realm expert without using any techniques.

To cultivators who hadn’t reached Soul Transformation yet, such a tribulation was truly despair-inducing.

At this moment, even the future Forbidden Zone Lord walked out of her bedchamber, looking up at a certain direction within the Forbidden Zone.

Even she was somewhat anticipating how many levels of tribulation Mu Zhian would face.

Not just them, even Mu Zhian himself was somewhat expectant.

No, rather than expectant, it was more like a sense of fatalistic resignation.

Luo Tan had said before that every powerful constitution would double the difficulty of the Heavenly Tribulation, and logically, the maximum difficulty was nine levels.

However, Mu Zhian currently had more than nine constitutions.

He didn’t know how the difficulty of this Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation would be judged.

Feeling the effects of the Nascent Soul Pill flowing through his body, Mu Zhian floated in mid-air, his eyes closed, waiting for the tribulation to descend.

Rumble!

Finally, the first thunderclap sounded!

This meant the first level of the tribulation had arrived.

On a distant mountain peak, the clan members were excitedly discussing the young lady’s Dao Companion.

“How many levels of tribulation do you think Young Master Mu will face?”

“He can reach Soul Transformation at such a young age, his talent must be extraordinary. Perhaps, like the Clan Lord, it will be a nine-level tribulation,” someone guessed.

“A nine-level tribulation? Wouldn’t that mean he also has the potential for Dao Integration?” The clan member beside him refuted this guess, “There have been countless geniuses throughout history, but those who can reach Dao Integration are the most brilliant of their generation. I think a seven-level tribulation would be good enough for him.”

“A nine-level tribulation doesn’t necessarily mean he has the potential for Dao Integration. There have been chosen ones in the past who experienced nine levels of tribulation, but never reached Dao Integration in their lifetime.”

A clan elder spoke, his tone relatively mild.

But he was practically saying that no matter how talented Mu Zhian was, he couldn’t compare to a Dao Integration Realm expert.

Within the Forbidden Zone, some elders didn’t approve of the relationship between Ye Lingxuan and Mu Zhian, and this elder was one of them.

Other elders also spoke, “Indeed, Mu Zhian’s talent is astonishing, but even a nine-level tribulation doesn’t prove anything. It only means the young lady has good judgment, but that’s all.”

“Love can blind a girl. Let’s not say too much, lest the young lady overhears and becomes unhappy,” another elder shook his head and sighed.

These elders were all high-ranking members of the Forbidden Zone and knew some secrets unknown to the other clan members.

Ye Lingxuan was the only one in the Forbidden Zone with a chance of Transcendence. Therefore, these elders naturally had higher standards, worried that Mu Zhian might affect the young lady’s future.

Rumble…

As another thunderclap sounded, a clan elder nodded slightly, “It seems the Heavenly Dao has judged Mu Zhian’s talent to be astonishing. He will probably face a nine-level tribulation.”

“Old Seven, you lost. Remember to send me that jade bracelet later,” an elder with a celestial air said with a smile.

“I also bet on Mu Zhian facing a nine-level tribulation, but you chose it first.”

The elder called ‘Old Seven’ glared angrily, clearly dissatisfied.

“Why are you two betting again? If the Grand Elder sees this, you’ll probably be scolded again,” the Third Elder reminded.

“So what? I’m getting that jade bracelet from Old Seven no matter what. My precious granddaughter has been craving it for a long time,” the elder with a celestial air stroked his beard, his face filled with delight.

“Quiet down, everyone. The young lady is coming… We still don’t know if Mu Zhian can successfully pass the Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation,” another elder reminded softly.

“Indeed, a nine-level tribulation, even I’ve only seen it four times in my life, and only one person successfully passed,” the Third Elder’s tone lowered slightly, recalling the past.

“If he can truly pass the nine-level tribulation, Mu Zhian might be worthy of becoming the young lady’s Dao Companion.”

Hearing this, many elders nodded slightly.

A nine-level tribulation, even they weren’t completely confident in passing it, let alone Mu Zhian, who had only cultivated for how long? Perhaps his realm was high, but his experience was lacking.

“Speaking of which, do you feel like the Heavenly Tribulation hasn’t finished brewing yet?” someone suddenly asked doubtfully.

Hearing this, someone shook their head, “How is that possible? The Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation has a maximum of nine levels. This is common knowledge, a rule of heaven and earth set by the Heavenly Dao. No one can change it—”

Rumble…

As soon as his voice fell, another thunderclap sounded, and the discussion on the mountain peak instantly fell silent.

Even the expressions of the many clan elders present froze.

A tenth thunderclap?

…Where did that come from?

According to past precedent, each thunderclap signified one level of the Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation, and nine thunderclaps had already sounded.

Where did this tenth one come from?

However, before the elders could react, another rumbling boom echoed.

An eleventh thunderclap!

“Something’s not right… Is there something wrong with this Heavenly Tribulation?” Someone finally realized the gravity of the situation, their expression turning serious.

The Heavenly Tribulation had a maximum of nine levels, why were there two extra thunderclaps?

Rumble…

At this moment, the night sky was as bright as day, and the tribulation clouds were filled with a destructive aura, despair-inducing at first glance.

And even more despairing was that the thunderclaps didn’t stop after the eleventh, but a twelfth thunderclap followed…

The mountain peak was crowded with people, yet it was completely silent, countless gazes staring in astonishment at the dark and oppressive tribulation clouds, swirling like a vortex in the sea.

At this moment, the same thought arose in everyone’s minds.

After the nine levels of the Heavenly Tribulation, could there be an even more terrifying tribulation?